Running-gear for motor-cycles.



C. HENDRICKSEN.

RUNNING GEAR FOR MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1910.

7 1,022,675, Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. HENDRICKSEN.

RUNNING GEAR FOR MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7 I910.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY jruL-a/ ATTORNEY COLUMBlA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D c.

CARL HENDRICKSEN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR MOTOR-CYCLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

Application filed September '7, 1910. Serial No. 580,902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL HnNDmoKsnN, a subject of Denmark, and a resident of Seattle, in the county of King and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running-Gears for Motor-Cycles, of which the following is a full, true, and exact specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide arunning gear of this class of exceedingly simple construction, strong and durable, and in which three supporting points, or wheels, are used, forming a tric cle.

The invention further consists in a new form of steering gear.

I accomplish these ends by means of the novel construct-ion, combination and arrangement of parts as will be fully explained and described in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved construction. Fig. 2 a side view of the same. Fig. 3 a front elevation, looking toward the right. Modified forms are shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. Fig. 4 is a modified form of frame adapted to be secured to the front end of the main frame. Fig. 5 a central vertical sectional view of one of the front hubs and one of the up right portions of the frame shown in Fig. 4, with portions of the frame broken away. Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view of a modified form of stem and sleeve for the handlebars, the handlebars showing in full lines, with outer ends broken away. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of plate to receive the sleeve of the handlebar.

Reference sign 1 designates the upper portion of the main frame which consists of one continuous piece of material, preferably tubing, bent into the form as shown in Fig. 1, and tied together at intervals by the bands 2 3 and 4, and having its ends flattened as at 5-5, to which flattened ends is attached, by means of the bolts 6, the extensions 7-7, the lower ends of which extensions are enlarged as at 8, and pierced to form bearings, in which revolves the shaft 9 of the rear wheel 10, the flattened portions 5, 5 being bent downwardly at an angle, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower portion 11 of the main frame is of substantially the same construction, and occupies the same vertical plane as the upper portion, its extremities being welded or otherwise secured, at 12, to the enlarged portions 8. The engine may be placed within the loop 18 and secured to the frame in any suitable manner. The engine is not shown as the same forms no part of this invention. The upper and lower portions of the frame are secured together by the connecting pieces 14 14", 14 the last named of which extends above the plane of the frame, and has secured to its upper end the drivers seat 15. The projections 16 from the lower portion of the frame form stirrups. The space between the bands 4, 4, and between the two sides of the top portion of the frame is occupied by a plate 17, of a thickness approximately the diameter of the tubes forming the upper portion of the frame, the plate 17 being welded or otherwise firmly secured to the bands 4 4, and through which plate loosely passes the stem 18, having the limit pin 19 which pin extends outwardly from the stem and rests upon the tubing which forms the top portion of the frame. Projecting from the upper end of the stem 18 are the handlebars 20, to which are pivotally connected the ends of the draw rods 21, which rods cross each other and are similarly connected at their opposite ends to the reduced portions 22 of the cranks 22 which are formed of the upper ends of the vertical shafts23, which shafts pass loosely through the plates 24 secured to the upper and lower portions of the main frame by the machine screws 25, and'having their lower ends bent outwardly at right angles as at 26, upon which are mounted the front wheels 27.

In vehicles of this character it is desirable that as few parts as possible of the running gear project beyond the vertical planes of its wheels. In my improved construction it will be observed that none of the parts so project, except the slight extremities of the ends 26. With this in view, the cranks 22 have their movement well within the necessary limits, at no time projecting beyond the vertical planes of the wheels 27. It is desirable that the cranks 22 be of greater length than the projecting ends 26, for the obvious reason that greater leverage is thereby afforded, and a more ready response of the wheels 27 to any movement of the handlebars 20. In steering the vehicle, whenever the driver draws either of the handlebars 20 toward himself, it is necessary that the wheels 27 be caused to move in the same direction; that is to say, if the driver draw the right handlebar toward himself the wheels 27 should turn to the right, and a like movement of the left handlebar should cause the wheels to turn to the left. For this reason the connecting draw rods 21 are crossed, the left hand crank 22 being connected by one of the draw rods to the right handle bar, and the right hand crank con nected by the other draw rod to the left handlebar. If this order were reversed a movement in either direction of either of the handlebars would cause a movement in the opposite direction of the wheels 27, thus confusing the rider.

Referring to the modified forms of the parts as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7. l designates a tubular frame, the horizontal portions 2" of which are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the upper and lower portions 1 and 11 (Fig. 1) of the main frame, the horizontal portions 2 adapted to be firmly secured, in any suitable manner, to the upper portion 1, and the lower portion 11 respectively of the main frame (Fig. 1), in which case, of course, the plates 24 are dispensed with. Mounted to revolve within the upright portion of the frame 1 is the shaft 3", having its lower end enlarged as at 4C and having the annular groove 5 in which are the antifriction balls 6", upon which rests the lower end of the upright portion of the frame 1", which lower end is cupped to receive the balls 6". The upper end of the shaft 3 is threaded to receive the nut 7 which nut is reduced at 8" which, together with the inner surface 10 of the upper portion of the tube 1, forms an annular chan nel or race for the balls 9".

11 is a lever or crank having the stud 12 to which stud may be attached one of the draw rods 21 (Fig. 1). In the crank or lever 11 is the opening 13", through which passes the upper end of the shaft 3", the nut 14 being screwed firmly down to rigidly secure the crank or lever 11" to the shaft 3". Through the enlarged lower end 4: of the shaft 3 passes the threaded end 15" of the shaft 16 which forms the axle for the wheel 17 18 designates circular cups fitted into the ends of the shell 19", and secured thereto in any suitable manner. In the cup 18 at the left end of the shell 19 are the antifriction balls 20 which fit into an annular groove 2O in the shaft 16, and are held in place by the washer 21 which abuts against the shoulder 22 upon the shaft 16". At the outer end of the shaft 16" are similar antifriction balls 23 in the outer cups 18", which balls are held in place by the nut 24: screwed to the outer end of the shaft 1'6, the jam nut 25 holding the nut 24: in place. The outer end of the shell may be covered by a threaded cap 26".

The modified form of mounting the handlebar stem as shown in Fig. 6, is an adaptation of the same construction shown in Fig. 5, and will be readily understood, the stem 27 having the flaring top 28 and annular groove 29, mounted to revolve within the sleeve 30", which sleeve has the cups 31 to receive the balls 32", the lower end of the stem 27 being threaded to receive the nut 33 andjam nut 34:,the threaded studs 35 projecting upwardly from the handlebars 36, to which studs may be attached the draw rods 21 (Fig 1).

Referring to Fig. 7, 37 designates a modified form of plate for attaching the sleeve 30 to the main frame, the plate 37 being split, as shown, the opening 38 in the plate having the projections 39 which fit into the recesses 40 of the sleeve 30". The two halves of the plate 37, when fitted around the sleeve 30", may be screwed to the bands H (Fig. 1), by machine screws, or other suitable means.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, strong and durable construction, the assembling of the parts of which requires but little skill.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is A running gear for motorcycles comprising a main frame composed of an upper and a lower portion, said upper and lower portions being spaced apart and secured to each other by upright braces, each of said w upper and lower portions being formed in one piece and bent into a loop, the sides of the loop being secured to each other at intervals by hands; a supplement-a1 frame secured to the forward end of the main frame, the upright sides of said supplemental frame forming sleeves for vertical shafts, crank arms secured to the upper ends of said shafts, antifriction balls between each of said vertical shafts and its sleeve, outwardly extending shafts secured to the lower ends of said vertical shafts, forming axles, wheels mounted upon said axles and antifriction balls between said axles and said wheels, substantially as described as and for the purpose set forth.

CARL HENDRIGKSEN.

WVitnesses:

FRED P. GoRIN, G. R. REANEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

